WASHINGTON, April 12 /Christian Newswire/ -- Rev. Patrick Mahoney and Michael McMonagle will call upon President Obama to challenge Chinese President Hu Jintao on human rights and religious liberty during his visit to Washington this week.

Rev. Mahoney, Michael McMonagle and Brandi Swindell were twice arrested in Tiananmen Square and deported from China during the Beijing Olympics for speaking out against the human rights abuses and violence of the Chinese government against their own people.

The prayer and witness will take place on Monday, April 12, at 3:30 P.M. in front of the White House on the Pennsylvania Avenue public sidewalk.

The leaders are troubled that the Obama Administration is giving billions of dollars to the Chinese government to pay off our debt while that country continues to brutalize their own people.

The group calls it a "moral and national disgrace" that President Obama has not been a more vocal and outspoken critic of the human rights abuses by the Chinese government.

Mr. Obama has an historic opportunity to affirm to the world that the United States strongly supports human rights and to remind the Chinese government that they cannot crush and brutalize their own people and expect our support.

Rev. Mahoney and Mr. McMonagle will be holding an exact replica of the sign they displayed when they were arrested in Tiananmen Square. It reads "Jesus Christ is King" in Chinese and English.

Rev. Mahoney will also be holding a Tibetan flag given to him by a Tibetan Buddhist Monk after his arrest in China.

"It is critical for President Obama to stand against the tyranny and brutality of the Chinese government against their own people. Millions of Christians, and those of other religious traditions like Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners are oppressed, tortured and even killed by the leaders of China.

"China promotes the barbaric practice of forced abortion and sterilization and crushes all those who disagree with their policies.

"We are going to the White House to stand in solidarity with those who are brutalized because of their faith and ask Mr. Obama not to continue to borrow money from China which allows this oppressive regime to continue its violent practices and policies."

"We will be praying for religious freedom throughout all of China and calling on President Obama to address these concerns with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

"We will also be praying for God to bring an end to the forced abortion policy in China and challenging President Obama not to continue an economic policy with a nation that targets women and the disabled for abortion.

"History has given us a powerful example from the free nations of the world when they confronted South Africa because of their policy of apartheid. We should apply those same principles to China's forced abortion policy."

Brandi Swindell, Director of Generation Life, comments,

"We call upon President Obama to make a statement to President Hu Jintao that America stands against the brutal regime of China.

"It is critical that Mr. Obama shows the United States stands in solidarity with the oppressed people of China and our nation opposes the tyranny of Chinese leaders against their own people.

"As a woman, I am shocked and saddened that President Obama would build relationships with a nation that supports targeting women through abortion. It is discrimination and bigotry and its worst."

For more information or interviews call: Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney at 540.538.4741 202.547.1735